Blueberry Plant Named &#39;ZZ04062&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct southern high bush blueberry variety, ‘ZZ04062’ is described. The variety results from selection among a population of seedlings derived from the controlled crossing of the blueberry varieties ‘O&#39;Neal’ (seed parent) (not patented) and ‘Duke’ (pollen parent) (not patented). The fruit of this new variety has very large, attractive fruit with ripens mid-season. The new variety appears suitable for the fresh fruit market.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/723,236, filed Aug. 27, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Genus and species plant claimed: Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘ZZ04062’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of red raspberry, Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid, resulted from selection among a population of seedlings derived from a controlled cross carried out in 2004 between ‘O'Neal’ (seed parent) (not patented) and ‘Duke’ (pollen parent) (not patented) located at Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand. ‘ZZ04062’ was identified in 2006 as having potential as a new variety due to its attractive, very large, medium blue fruit with good flavour. It was asexually propagated by cuttings in 2007 and the resulting plants were subsequently found to be true to type demonstrating that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted without change through succeeding generations. Since the initial propagation in vitro propagation has also been carried out successfully.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘ZZ04062’ is characterised by a semi-upright bush habit and attractive, very large fruit with good flavour which harvests mid-season. ‘ZZ04062’ is distinguished from a number of other varieties and by its parents by the following characteristics:

The fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ are larger than fruit of its paternal parent, ‘Duke’.

‘ZZ04062’ flowers later than its maternal parent, ‘O'Neal’. In Motueka, New Zealand, ‘O'Neal’ flowers early August while ‘ZZ04062’ flowers mid-September.

‘Misty’ begins flowering earlier than ‘ZZ04062’ and ‘Nui’ has a flat fruit shape while ‘ZZ04062’ has an oblate fruit shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the plant, flower and fruit of the new variety as depicted in colours as nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the same in a colour illustration of this character. Unless otherwise specified, the photographs depict mature (6 year old) plant grown at, Motueka, New Zealand.

FIG. 1 shows 6 year old plants of ‘ZZ04062’.

FIG. 2 shows ‘ZZ04062’ flowers.

FIG. 3 shows fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ on the plant.

FIG. 4 shows fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ removed from the plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The observations, unless otherwise specified, were made in the 2015-2016, 2016-17 seasons on 5-6 year old plants grown at, Motueka, New Zealand. All dimensions in millimetres, weights in grams (unless otherwise stated). Colour terminology is in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts (R.H.S.C.C.) fifth edition.

Plant and Foliage

This plant is generally semi-upright in growth habit. The surface texture of one year old canes are slightly rough while the surface texture of mature canes (of three year old wood) is rough and peeling; the colour of immature canes is near brown N200C. The colour of the bark of mature canes is near greyed-green 197C.

The mature leaf is lanceolate in shape with an acute shaped leaf tip and typically averages 57 mm in length and approximately 28 mm in width. The margins are generally entire, and the leaf has slight glossiness on the upper surface. Pubescence is absent from the leaf upper and lower surface. The upper surface of the leaf is near green 137A and the lower surface near green 138B in colour. The petiole typically averages 4.4 mm in length.

Inflorescence

The typical flower has an average flower length of 12.2 mm and the diameter of the corolla aperture averages 4 mm. The average diameter of the corolla tube is 7.5 mm. The style length is approximately 8.5 mm. The main colour of the petals on fully open mature flowers is near white N155B. The pedicel length averages 6 mm, with peduncle average length 10 mm.

Fruit

The fruit are of very large size, averaging approximately 3.4 g (observed range 2.0-4.1 g) and clustered with an average of 11 berries/cluster. Fruiting occurs on one year old shoots only; flowers do not occur on current season's shoots. The time of beginning of fruit ripening on one year old shoots is early-mid season, similar to that on ‘Nui’. Generally fruit is oblate with an average diameter of approximately 19 mm (observed range 16-22 mm). Ripe fruit generally has a skin colour of near violet-blue 97C with bloom intact and near black 202A with bloom removed. The bloom is moderately strong. Internal flesh colour of ripe fruit is near greyed-green 188C. The calyx aperture is recessed on a ripe berry and has an average diameter of 5 mm. The depth of the calyx basin is medium. The attitude of the incurving sepals tends to be semi erect. The pedicel scar is very small and generally dry. The fruit is moderately firm and the fruit sweetness (Brix level) averaged 10.5.

Yield is high, averaging approximately 7-8 Kg per plant. The self-compatibility of the new variety has not been tested by self-crossing the variety. However, it is recommended to associate the plant with other varieties with similar flowering timing to maximise pollination and fruit set.

Events

Vegetative bud burst occurred around the second week of September under New Zealand growing conditions.

Time of beginning flowering mid-September, about 5 days earlier than ‘Nui’.

Maturity period: mid-season; fruit commenced ripening on trial plants at Motueka, New Zealand in the first week of December through until first week of January. Harvest season is similar to ‘Nui’.

Pest and Disease

The plant does not seem to be susceptible to rust (Pucciniastrum vaccinii). No symptoms of anthracnose or Botryosphaeria have been observed under New Zealand growing conditions.

Additional Description

The variety has been observed to be suited to production of blueberries for fresh consumption.

The plant cold hardiness according to the American zone classification has not been determined. However, the chilling requirement of ‘ZZ04062’ has been estimated to be between 700 and 1000 hours. 

1. A new and distinct blueberry plant substantially as illustrated and described. 